60 Days and Counting
by kurohime1024
Summary: Sakura has 60 days to live, and a lifetime of experiences to cram into them. High School fic, Humor, Akatsuki, and the random goodness that makes fanfiction so frickin awesome. Some seriousness, some awkwardness, more awkwardness, and all around stupidity. She's only got 2 months, afterall!
1. Some bad news

**Hi , guys! I know I haven't written in a long time, but hey, I'm back now, so stop crying already! I'm working on the second installment of **_**Akatsuki no Hime, **_**but I haven't gotten it to where I want to post it. If there are any suggestions, please hit me up. It's going to center around Sakura back in the village a couple of months after Hinata is sent away. However, that's not what this post is about, is it? This is a new story I've started, and quickly fallen in love with. **

**Ok, Ok, enough jibber jabber for one chapter. Here's the first chapter of **_**60 Days and Counting. **_

**And no, in case any of you thought that I own Naruto, I'm here to tell you that no, I do not. Because if I did, I would make Sasuke come back to the village and Hula dance as punishment for leaving.**

Sakura let out a breath against the chilled windows, watching the hospital parking lot fog over and lose focus. She turned her gaze to the sterile white waiting room, it's only other occupant a bleary eyed old man, who reminded Sakura of a crusty ship's captain. Her lips twitched, imagining this old guy fighting pirates and cannibals.

"Sakura Haruno." called a nurse into the room. Sakura stood and nodded to The Captain. He saluted, furthering Sakura's imagination and making her giggle.

Down the neutral colored walls the nurse led her, to a door with the name 'Dr. Kuthropali' stamped on a little metal label on the door. The man inside stood when she entered, his clean white hospital jacket contrasting deeply with his hazelnut colored skin. His teeth were also startlingly white, and he smiled warmly when he greeted her.

"Sakura, I'm so glad you could come in today on such short notice. I know you have school and all, but it was extremely important that we speak." Here, his smile seemed to falter, taking on the look of a pained grimace.

"I'm afraid, I have some bad news."

Sakura paused. Those were the words no person ever wanted to hear come out of their doctor's mouth. Ever. She centered herself, readying herself for whatever horrible thing her doctor of nearly 19 years had to say.

"Alright, Doc. Enough with the Dr. House drama. What's wrong with me?"

"Well," he continued, clearly uncomfortable with the news he had to share with one of his youngest patients, who he knew very well.

"It appears you have a rare but serious infection of the heart. The infection toughens the outer muscles of the heart, slowly making its way inward. Over a time, the heart will be unable to pump efficiently, if at all."

The silence following his words weighed heavily on the pink haired girl. Finally, she spoke, her voice soft.

"So, what your telling me is that I'm going to die."

"Not necessarily!" he hurried to assure her, or was he assuring himself?

"It's possible that the heart could be saved if a transplant was found for you before the infection takes root in the tissues around the heart. If we could isolate the infection, you should survive." But to this, Sakura just shook her head.

"You and I both know I can't afford an operation like that. And even if I could, doesn't it take time to find a donor? How much time do I have, exactly, anyway?"

Dr. Kuthropali sighed. He _really _didn't want to have this conversation, with this patient. He'd been taking care of the Haruno family for as long as he'd been in medicine, and Sakura for the majority of her life. He could still remember when he first met her, a grouchy child with a broken arm, who insisted that it wasn't her fault, gravity just hated her.

Breaking out of his reverie, he answered her. "I'd estimate, without the transplant, roughly two months. It could be longer, though. People with terminal illnesses have lived well past their prescribed 'expiration dates', if you will."

Sakura smiled sadly. "That's not fair, doc. Don't go giving me hope like that. If I'm going to die, then I'm going to die." She sighed. "I just wish it wasn't so damned soon."

The doctor was amazed. He'd seen much older patients jump up and cry about how death was robbing them of life, and here, this young woman, barely to her twenties, is gracefully accepting of it.

"Hey Dr. K, don't look so down. It's not your fault I'm dying." She stood then, her emerald eyes shining with determination. She grinned. "I guess dying is just something I'm going to have to live with."

"So, what will you do now?" he asked, ready to aid his patient and friend in any way he could.

She thought for a minute. "I think I'm going to go get some ice-cream. Then, I'll probably go home and cry for a while. Then take a nap. Definitely a nap. Then, I'm going to get up tomorrow, and pretend that my life is fine, because that's what I do.

The doctor smiled. "Good luck, Sakura."

She nodded, and, after thanking him, she left.

She made her way down the now depressingly white hallway, thinking of a blonde idiot who, if she knew anything about him, wouldn't take the news half as well as she did.

Out in the parking lot, she reached her beaten Camaro, one of her father's many projects that would never be completed. She got in and ran her hand over the ripped upholstery. She started the car, making it rumble like only a top line engine could. Sadly, the sound did not match the hobo-on-the-street-look the car had going for it. "Come on, girl. Let's go home." she whispered to the car. It rumbled in assent, and the pair carefully made their way down the winding hospital driveway.

**So, what do you think? It was kind of sad, writing this chapter but I know it will get better for our dear Sakura. Hope you liked it, please drop me a comment, review, hell, flame the crap out of it if you want to, I don't care. I just like feedback. Plus, if flames are actually constructive, I can take steps to fix what's bothering you. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Live like your dying

**The second chapter is written! Lets take a moment to stop and Huzzah for this great moment.**

***Hidan jumps out of bushes* HUZZAH!**

**Me: What? No! *wacks with stick* Bad Hidan! Your not even in this chapter!**

**Hidan: And that, my silly little heathen bitch, is why I am here.**

**Me:...*wack***

**Hidan: *thinks* Gotta be nice to this bitch. If I'm not, she won't write me in this stupid ass story of hers, and I can't get all the bitches n hoes if I'm not even in the damned story! Ok, nice. Be nice, Hidan. Nice Nice Baby.**

**Me: ?**

**Hidan: ... I fucking hate you, and your fucking story sucks big black donkey dick.**

**Me: ...**

**Hidan: *Smiles***

**Me: "WACK!" **

**Hidan: *Limps away* She doesn't own Naruto, goddamned it. Ow, ow, ow. Review for me to appear in future chapters!...hopefully to get all the bitches n hoes...*puppy eyes***

The school grounds always reminded Sakura of a coral reef, always teeming with a variety of life. There were the colorful multi-clubbers, always running around for one club or another. The dark loners, who wouldn't join a club if you paid them, athletes, mathletes, pranksters, ravers, smart people who are cool, cool people who don't get the jokes their equally cool, yet smarter friends tell, artists, readers, gangsters, emo kids, pot heads, wannabe anarchists, sluts, bible thumpers, fangirls, fanboys, and general students who just want to go home.

And on the fringe of it all, Sakura Haruno.

She knew her group, but wasn't really known by them. The only person who truly knew her was her one true friend since childhood, Naruto Uzumaki.

She pulled her beaten car next to his orange pickup with its bumper sticker proclaiming 'Honk if you Love Ramen!'. She grinned.

Naruto Uzumaki was the bright Sun to her Moon, and the fudge to her sundae. Since childhood, the two had been alone. The other children picked on them, so they banded together, and became inseparable. They had also weathered the deaths of each other's parents together.

Sakura smiled with love as she thought of him.

It was because of him that she could claim a place in her high school life. He was the one who brought people together, and Sakura kind of just rode along for the ride. He was always nagging her to be more like herself with their friends, but Sakura never could. She hid her personality behind a wall of polite greetings, and quietly declining to hang out with anyone besides her boy in orange.

The pinkette sighed. It was because of this that she had to act now. She wanted friends she could call HER friends, not just her and Naruto's friends. She didn't want to be a stranger anymore.

She got out of her car and made her way towards the aforementioned 'Group'.

She smiled at the two at the group's center. Her loud Naruto, and grouchy, one-syllable-answering hearthrob, Sasuke Uchiha. The girl shook her head as she thought of her past, and the feelings she had buried within herself when Naruto first decided to make Sasuke his friend too. Deciding that, the past was best left there, she walked towards the people she would unveil herself to.

She was a little nervous, at first. She was approaching them as strangers, after all. Aside from her name and a few random facts Naruto had blurted out, they really didn't know her at all.

"Morning, everyone." She said tentatively. She received a few nods, and a general greeting from the assembled people.

"SAKURA-CHAN!" Naruto exploded at a decibel that should be illegal at this time of the day.

"...Wait, what are you wearing? Where's your hoodie?" He questioned as he eyed her skin like an alien creature. "I can see your arms!...You really should get out more, your really pale, Sakura-chan."

Sakura's vein twitched. How dare he call her pale! She wacked him over the head.

"And a good morning to you too, Narutard. And I'm not 'pale', I'm 'Alabaster skinned'. Sounds romantic."

He rubbed his head and grinned. "For who, a dermatologist?"

"I didn't know you even knew big words like that." grinned a dog loving boy named Kiba.

"Hey! You just shut up! Sakura-chan's been leaving her medical books over my house again. It's not my fault if I _happen _to glance at a few of them. They're freaking everywhere."

Sakura blushed. She _had _left a bunch of her books over his house. Along with half of the items she owned. She kind of half-way lived there, anyway. What did it matter?

Sakura rubbed her arms absent-mindedly. She really was used to wearing hoodies over her clothes. But, in an effort to further change herself and the way she presented herself, today she donned an off the shoulder green and white shirt, tighter fitting jeans, and her new leather boots (they were on sale!). She also wore a silver spiral necklace that she had worn every day since her last birthday, when Naruto had given it to her, a silver and seashell pink bracelet, and a clamp-chain earring with tiny stars Naruto called 'shuriken' hanging from it.

The pair had played Ninja for hours when growing up, so for Sakura's fifteenth birthday, Naruto had presented her with the gift, making her smile until her face hurt. Sakura smiled at the memory, then focused on the situation at hand.

She could tell the people around her were wondering at her outfit. It was out of character for her to dress to impress, she knew, but she thought that, with the doctor's news and all, why not? Not that they would know anything about that little secret.

Ever knowing of Sakura's feelings, Naruto sidled up to her and draped his arm over her shoulder. She raised an eyebrow at him, as did some of the others. It was also out of character for Sakura to allow anyone to touch her so openly, even Naruto.

"Your cold, right?" was all he said, already knowing the answer.

Sakura felt her face heat.

From somewhere in the group, a figure stepped forward. The girl was beautiful, with long blonde hair in a ponytail, and blue eyes the color of the sky at midday. Ino gave the pink haired girl a curious look.

"Sakura, are you ok?" She asked, the question on everyone's mind, yet no one wanted to seem rude or weird in asking.

But Sakura smiled at her friend's compassion filled voice, surprised to find that, yes, she did think of this girl as her friend.

"You know what, Ino? I feel great." Accept that I'm dying, she thought, but didn't dare say out loud.

The blonde looked unconvinced. "Yea, but, your acting really, well, not Sakura-like. Like the shirt, totally cute, by the way. But, you'd normally cover it up with a huge hoodie or something. Your off."

Sakura grinned. "To be fair, I don't actually own a hoodie. Those were all Naruto's. And I have a perfectly reasonable excuse for my change."

Naruto affectionately rubbed his cheek against Sakura's, and she reflexively pushed him away.

"You know that saying, 'Live life like it's your last day'?" Sakura asked. Ino nodded.

"Well," Sakura continued, "I think that that would be an interesting way to spend the rest of my Senior year of high school. I know I've been really quiet, but, when it's just me and Naruto, I'm really not -"

"She's really not." Naruto affirmed.

"AND, I really just don't want to hide my personality anymore. It's exhausting."

Ino cocked her head at the pink haired girl's response. Then she shrugged.

"I guess then, It's nice to meet you, Sakura." she said finally.

Naruto flung his arms into the air. "WOOHOO! Sakura-chan's not gonna be a loser anymore!"

"Hey! I'm not a loser, ya loser. So shut up." she countered, no venom behind it.

Just then, Sakura felt eyes burning into her skin. She turned to spy Sasuke's gaze locked onto her. 'Why is Sasuke looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?' she thought, but, before she had any more time to worry over the mystery that is Sasuke Uchiha, the bell rang, signalling the beginning of the day.

**Oh, I know, I know. Not a whole lot going on in this chapter. It's mostly explaining her feelings, and well, you read it, right? You know what it said. Well, the school day has officially begun, and now that Sakura's on a mission to erase her quiet persona, what kind of trouble could she possibly get herself into? I'll give you a hint: My buddy Kisame makes his first appearance. Heehee, I'm so excited about the next chapter, after writing this kind of emotional, not funny or adventurous at all, one. Until the next!**

**Sneek Peek!**

"Ok, I won't tell anyone."

Sakura breathed out a sigh of relief.

"I'm telling Everyone!"

"Damnit."


	3. Hello tile, meet face

**Me: *Beep-beep-beep* **

**Naruto: What is that?**

**Me: Oh, this? This is my McDonald's fillet of fish finder. **

***Kisame appears***

**Me: *BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP***

**Kisame: What? NO! Get away from me!**

**Me: *chases Kisame down road***

**Naruto: *sigh* Kurohime1024 does not own Naruto, McDonalds, Three Days Grace, or any of the other stuff in this story. If she did, she would be rich enough to hire someone else to write her fanfics...which she is not.**

***Hidan pops out from behind bush***

**Hidan: Fishay Fishay :D**

"_Hey! I'm not a loser, ya loser. So shut up." she countered, no venom behind it._

_Just then, Sakura felt eyes burning into her skin. She turned to spy Sasuke's gaze locked onto her. 'Why is Sasuke looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?' she thought, but, before she had any more time to worry over the mystery that is Sasuke Uchiha, the bell rang, signalling the beginning of the day._

Sakura's schedule:

1st: Math with Kakashi

2nd: History with Kurenai

3rd: Gym with Guy

4th: Science with Orochimaru

Lunch~

5th/6th: Art with Anko

7th: English with Jiraya

:page break:

First class was math with Kakashi. He taught his class by pointing to an assignment written on the board, then saying "There are numbers on this page. Learn their mysteries." and then disappearing behind his desk to read porn.

Sakura sat in her desk and pulled out her book, as well as her trusty iPod, which had survived being in her care for about 2 years now. She scrolled through the collection of old songs, back a few years before she had to worry about being cool in high school, or dying of a heart infection.

Skipping over Three Days Grace songs (Blasphemy!), she landed on Chris Brown's _Fallen Angel. _

She bobbed her head to the beat, drinking in Chris's voice like water, when a note landed itself on her desk. 'What the?' She unfolded the note.

-Hey so, are you going to stay this way?

Sakura would know Naruto's chicken scratch writing anywhere.

~Yes.

She refolded the paper and replaced it, and it was whisked away, only to be swiftly be brought back.

-Good. I really want you to be yourself around other people. Your way more fun that way.

Sakura rolled her eyes, but knew he was right.

~I guess you have a point. Quiet Sakura had to go, she was throwing off my groove. I think she just stuck around so your friends wouldn't hate us.

-What! Why would they hate you?

~Well, I have anger issues, throw things, enjoy having dance parties when I think no one's watching, I regularly beat you, aaannnddd, I'm a little on the opinionated side.

Sakura saw Naruto grin before scribbling down his response.

-...have you been to our lunch table? I think they're all like that at some point.

~You know, you're kind of right.

-Besides,- he wrote back hesitantly, -I like you just the way you are. We'd be divorced by now if I didn't.

Sakura mock gasped.

~ Think of the children!

-I did. You can keep them, I'm good.

~Haha, your such a dork. I love you anyway, tho.

Sakura returned to her math, the note remaining to be seen.

At the last minute of class, as Sakura put her book and papers away, the note reappeared.

-I love you too.

The bell rang.

:page break:

* * *

Sakura tucked the note in her messenger bag and continued to her next class, History with Kurenai. Today, they were starting in on Japan's Shinsengumi.

Kurenai lectured on about Commander Kondou, and Hijikata and Okita, but Sakura was more interested in the actual people. Who were they, why did they do what they did? She really wasn't interested in Kurenai's bland drabble.

"Bland Drabble, is it, Ms. Haruno?"

Sakura started, not realizing she had spoken aloud. However, she didn't regret what she had said.

"Yea, kind of." was her only reply.

Kurenai glared, not liking her one good student suddenly rebelling in such a public way.

"I'd expected more from you, Sakura." Kurenai said with a sigh.

After a moment, Sakura asked "Why?"

Now it was Kurenai's turn to start in surprise. 'Why? Nobody asks 'why'?'

"Why what?" she asked instead, an edge to her voice.

Sakura sighed and looked her teacher dead in the eye. "Why do you expect more from me? What did I do to make it on the list of people to expect stuff from that you teachers keep, anyway?"

Kurenai's glare turned frosty.

"I had expected more from you because I had thought that you were genuinely interested in my class, not just here to goof around. Apparently, though, I was mistaken."

"Look, Kurenai-sensei." She defended. "Don't get me wrong. I love history and think it's very interesting. But, this lecture your giving, it's got no personality. It's really just facts that, quite frankly, anyone could of copy-pasted from Wikipedia."

The dark-haired woman stared. 'When had Sakura learned to talk?'

"Then what do you suppose I do about it?"

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "I dunno, you're the teacher. Why the hell are you asking me?"

"Get out of my classroom, Ms. Haruno."

"But-"

"Get. Out!"

"Fine! Geez, woman, no need to yell!" Sakura retorted, angry that all she did was suggest a way to wake the students up, and she ended up getting yelled at instead.

"Ms. Haruno! Why are you behaving this way?" Kurenai wanted to know.

"Because I've wanted to all the years I've had you, or had to listen to a lecture you gave, and fell asleep and drooled all over myself just because it was so boring!" Sakura said in a rush, eager now to leave the class, her hand on the door handle.

Kurenai's face reddened, and Sakura, taking the moment of silence, made a stealthy exit. And when I say stealthy, I mean opening the creaking door, hurrying through it on shoes that squeaked, and then slamming the door behind her. Yup, stealth personified.

The girl sighed as she walked down the deserted hallways. 'That's gonna bite me in the ass in the long run.' she thought, but then shrugged. It's not like she had that much of a long run anyway.

Like she did whenever she had some sort of problem on her mind, she put in her headphones.

'Eh, I'm done with Chris Brown. What else do I have on here?' she questioned her iPod while scrolling. 'Aha! Hollywood Undead, _no. 5. _'

_**Hollywood we're never going down. Hollywood we're never going down.**_

_**And all the kids in the hood come and wave and shake your hands**_

_** Hollywood we're never going down**_

_**And when your drunk, shake that ass like you know how to dance.**_

_** Hollywood we're never going down.**_

Sakura bobbed her head, and then started dancing. Why not, the halls were empty.

As the song progressed, Sakura moonwalked around a corner and opened her eyes to find an amused sharkman staring down at her.

"Gah! Don't eat me!" was Sakura's automatic response, bracing for her last moments before becoming shark food.

The boy raised his eyebrow. "What? Why would I eat you? Your way too scrawny!"

Sakura stopped mid arm-flail. 'Scrawny? I think not!'

"Hey! You just watch yourself, Nemo. I'm all cat-like grace and swiftness!"

The blue man snorted. "Uh-huh. You hear that? That's me, not believing you. You're probably the type to fall over a flat surface and then blame gravity."

"Nuh-uh!" Sakura insisted, stamping her foot to emphasize her point.

"Whatever, Pinky. I got places to be."

The walking shark made to step around Sakura, who turned to glare at him for calling her Pinky, however, today, the gods were mocking her.

When she stamped her foot down childishly, she ended up standing on the one shoelace that was longer than the others, effectively trapping her in place. And turning to glare at Kisame's retreating form essentially threw her off-balance.

She tripped, expecting her face to hit cold tile. 'Hello tile. Meet face. Face? Tile.'

But the impact never came, and Sakura cracked an eye open to find bluish tinted, muscular forearms blocking her fall.

"Oh, geez. This is going to haunt me, isn't it?"

Her protector chuckled, releasing her. "Yep."

"I'm Sakura, by the way."

"Kisame. Not Nemo."

"Hi, Kisame. Do you mind not telling anyone about this?"

Kisame appeared to mull it over.

"Ok, I won't tell anyone."

Sakura breathed out in relief.

"I'm telling Everyone!"

"Damnit."

He chuckled at her. "Like I don't have anything better to do. I really gotta go. Later Pinky!"

He sauntered down the hall, not a care in the world.

"It's SAKURA!"

He grinned.

**There you go, Guest, you sneaky ninja, whoever you are. A little Kisame in there for you. He'll be coming back, cuz I like him too, and he's fun to write. As for the general 30-something other readers (none of you reviewed, btw. Tsk, tsk, very disappointing), a little more humor. I like humor in my stories because I like to laugh. I also like to incite a chuckle or two from random strangers on the internet...*whispers* that's you guys. More Akatsuki in the future, plus, this originally had more NaruSaku in it, but I toned it down. So, I'm going to try to get you some of that, too. **

**A little more seriousness next chapter, Naruto has to find out Sakura's condition yet, and there's no way that is going to go over smoothly. Definitely next chapter. **

**Plus a little fluff. Just a smidge. NaruSaku is cute, admit it! **

**Thanks for reading!**


	4. U mad bro?

**Hello everyone, and welcome to **_**60 Days and Counting! **_** A huge thanks to the people who reviewed, I checked my email and did a little happy dance when I read them. They totally made my day.**

**Sakura: They really did. We're all really happy you all like this one...even though I die...**

**Me: hehe, about that...**

**Sakura: No, you know what? It's a good angle. *nods to self* yep, totally fine.**

**Kisame: Shes not fine with it, is she?**

***Watches Sakura punch-explode giant boulders***

**Me: Nah, I think she's ok.**

***SMASH***

**Me: Totally ok...**

**Me: On another note, I don't own Naruto, the Akatsuki, any sort of major music name or celebrity, or anything of real importance.**

**Go on then, get reading. You know you want to.**

* * *

_He chuckled at her. "Like I don't have anything better to do. I really gotta go. Later Pinky!"_

_He sauntered down the hall, not a care in the world._

_"It's SAKURA!"_

_He grinned._

* * *

Soon after her encounter of a fishy kind, the bell rang, filling the halls with students eager to escape their prisons. Sakura scoffed. 'It's only third period, idiots.' Sakura muttered as she trudged to her next class, Gym with the overly enthusiastic Might Guy.

Sakura dutifully changed into the white t-shirt with Konoha High's logo, a spiral thing that somehow looked like a leaf , and dark green shorts.

"Today, youthful students, we will run 1000 laps around this youthful guy of youthfulness!" the green jumpsuit clad man practically bellowed into his green Konoha issue megaphone.

"Oh geez, who ever gave that man a megaphone should be tazed." Sakura huffed aloud, eliciting a giggle from the person next to her. Sakura looked up to see the only person more quiet than quiet Sakura, Hinata Hyuuga.

Sakura smiled tentatively at the girl. They both sat at the same table, with the same people, but never really got to talking. It also seemed that, unlike Sakura's quiet act born of laziness and self consciousness about losing Naruto, Hinata seemed to be genuinely shy and timid by nature.

Sakura nudged the lavender eyed girl gently. "Hey Hinata, can I ask you something?"

The girl nodded sceptically, and Sakura rushed on in a hurried, slightly embarrassed whisper.

"Can you, maybe, tell me how I might go about, er, um, bonding? I know I've been pretty quiet, but this year, I want to be different. I'm not really close with anyone but Naruto, so I don't really know how to go about making friends, and I really want to hang out with you guys. So, do you think you could help me out?"

Hinata stared wide eyed at the red faced Sakura, who said all that in about 2 seconds. Then she smiled.

"D-don't worry, Sakura-s-san. We're all pretty e-easy to get along with and talk to. I'll txt Ino after class, maybe we can all h-hang out sometime?" was the shy girl's soft spoken response.

Sakura smiled widely and glomped the poor Hyuuga, shouting, "Oh Hinata, I think I love you!"

...

All was quiet. Even the great and youthful Guy was taken aback by the outburst.

"Woohoo! Go Sakura! Girl on gir-"THONK.

Sakura threw her shoe at Naruto's heat, silencing him and knocking him to the floor.

"Shut up, Narutard!"

Hinata giggled and Guy huffed.

"Alright class, begin your laps of youth!"

The class grumbled but zombie shuffled towards the markers around the gym.

The group gradually began to pick up pace, leveling out in an uneven trot.

Naruto dropped behind, back to where Sakura kept pace besides Hinata, whose face reddened as he approached.

"Hey Sakura-chan, wanna race?"

After appearing to think it over, Sakura grinned.

"Alright, but an old-school, no holds barred, Haruno-Uzumaki style race, ok?" The blonde boy grinned as Sakura approached Guy and, gestured to the speakers and said something about how music makes the body feel youthful. Guy frowned but nodded and Sakura fist-pumped, proclaiming "Uzumaki, your going down!"

Sakura plugged in her iPod into the jack on the wall, and scrolled until she found a song she could run to. She hit play, and hurried to fall into place next to Naruto on the race route. Then she turned to a slightly confused Hinata.

"Don't take it personally, Hina." Sakura said as she took a running stance, awaiting the music. "It's just that, since we were little, we've had our own way of racing, and it's become something of a tradition for Haruno girls to beat blonde haired Uzumaki boys in the ultimate test of endurance."

"What k-kind of test?" the darker haired girl questioned curiously.

It was Naruto who answered her, reddening her face. "Just the race/dance party/kick boxing/hula hooping/supa dupa race of Awesome!"

The song began:

_**Dam dadi doo dam dam didoodi dam (4)**_

The two took off, sneakers squeaking on the shiny gym floors as their race began.

_**When the morning come come**_

_**I'm dancing like you're dumb dumb**_

_**And when the groove is high**_

_**when dummies jump to sky**_

They were twin blurs as they rocketed around the corner, past both Sasuke and Neji, who looked at each other quizzically. 'What just happened?'

Naruto laughed and, knowing the best way to hurdle his body into the air, he launched over Sakura, reaching out a hand to briefly brush his fingers along Sakura's shoulder, where he landed on the other side of her.

"Beat that, Sakura-chan!" he challenged.

Sakura repeated his trick, but on the landing, she kicked out a leg, sending her orange competitor flying. She vaulted on.

"Cheater!" he called after her, but she just laughed back at him.

"Ninjas don't cheat, they improvise!" she retorted, not slowing.

_**They tell me let's come home home**_

_**The party going on on**_

_**We only have to dance**_

_**Do dummies fall the trance**_

The music pulsed on, gradually making the students unknowingly run to keep pace. Guy produced green and white pom poms, and started cheering for their youthfulness and athletic spirit.

Naruto caught up with Sakura and tried to trip her up with her own move, but she bunny-hopped over it, letting his own momentum throw him off balance.

"Too bad we don't have hula hoops, eh Sakura?" Naruto asked as he again drew level with her.

"Totally! Next time, for sure." she promised, her breath coming even, if a little faster than normal.

He nodded and the two continued to alternate between kicks and dated disco moves to see who could out do the other. Before they knew it, their race had burned up nearly all the class time, and they both were grinning like mad. Guy blew his whistle, and the class began to gather to him.

Sakura laughed at the haggard looking classmates, then to Naruto, who grinned back at her. However, halfway to reaching a beaming Guy, Sakura felt a sharp pain in her chest.

She gasped loudly, and clutched her chest as she pitched forward. She squeezed her eyes but, for the second time that day, warm arms kept her from face planting into the floor.

She grit her teeth and writhed in her captor's arms. The unattended iPod had kept playing it's music, and it now played _Riot, _by Three Days Grace.

_**If you feel so empty**_

_**So used up, so let down**_

_**If you feel so angry**_

_**So ripped off so stepped on**_

Sakura swallowed the scream gathering in her throat, feeling the stutter of her heart as it frantically tried to get back into rhythm.

_**Let's start a riot, a riot**_

_**Let's start a riot**_

_**Let's start a riot, a riot**_

_**Let's start a riot**_

And then, it stopped.

Sakura sagged as her rygid body melted into pudding, all her energy momentarily spent. Sakura opened her eyes cautiously, to find dark, questioning pools of ink looking back at her.

"S-Sasuke?"

A flit of what could of been relief passed through his eyes, but was gone so quickly, Sakura thought it was probably her imagination.

She shakily sat up, feeling Sasuke's hand fall from her shoulder.

'Oh my god, was he holding me? Is the world ending? The world's ending, isn't it.'

"Sakura! What happened? Are you ok?"

"Yes Naruto, I'm fine. But later, there's something important to tell you. I was kind of putting it off until we were alone, though. Can we talk later?"

"Damnit Sakura!" Naruto barked, startling the group of curious onlookers. Naruto wasn't one to lose his cool so quickly.

"Whatever you have to say, tell me now! I about had a goddamned heart attack when I saw you just now!"

Sakura closed her eyes and carefully breathed out. "Right here? In the gym? You want me to tell you my really important news here, of all places?"

Naruto crossed his arms stubbornly. "Your damn right I do."

Sakura shakily stood, barely registering Sasuke's hands on her arm to catch her again if she fell. Sakura grasped Naruto's roughened hand and gently led him to the far corner of the gym, away from the nosy group of students so _obviously _trying to hear what she had to say.

And the music played on, Three Days Grace's _Take me Under _

Sasuke scrutinized the pair from the distance. Sakura's face was drawn, her vibrant green eyes downcast as her lips moved, but he wasn't close enough to read the words she spoke.

_**Now it seems I'm fading**_

_**All my dreams are not worth saving**_

_**I've done my share of waiting**_

_**And I've still got nowhere else to go**_

_**So I wait for you to**_

_**Take me all the way**_

_**Take me all the way**_

Naruto paled, his eyes wide with shock.

Sasuke stilled as he saw tears spill over his friend's tanned cheeks. 'What could she of possibly told him?' he wondered, floored when Naruto grasped the pink haired girl in a desperate hug, burying his face in her hair. Sakura's pale hands gripped the back of Naruto's shirt, clinging to him as well.

And throughout this display, Might Guy looked on sadly as the two friends attempted to stave off reality, the memory of Sakura's updated casefile swimming through the man's head like toxin.

After a small eternity, Naruto felt eyes upon them and turned his face from Sakura's neck to meet Sasuke's questioning eyes. Naruto's gaze begged for Sasuke's help, but Sakura stilled him with her words.

"Please don't tell him, Naruto." she whispered into his chest.

He moved back to look her in the face, and to see the pleading look there.

When he said nothing, Sakura went on. "Please. I've wasted so much time, so many lost opportunities to make friends and live a crazy teenage life. I want that now." she said, only a slight quiver in her voice to indicate any of the fear she felt inside.

A light lit in Naruto's eyes then. "And telling them," he reasoned aloud, "would make them treat you different. Am I right?"

Sakura smiled. "You always did know what I was thinking."

With a slight squeeze, Naruto murmered "And I always will."

By then, Sasuke had sidled up next to the two, twitchy with anticipation.

Naruto forced a grin onto his face, and Sakura merely tried to clear hers of the hurricane of emotions she was feeling.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the phony looks of happiness on their faces. 'How dare they even try that crap with me?'

Guy blew his whistle again, once again gaining his class's attention.

"It's not youthful to merely stand around gawking at a scene. It's wasteful of the springtime of your youth! Get changed, class will be ending shortly." he said, frowning. 'So unyouthful!'

Naruto slung an arm over each of his friend's shoulders, enjoying the moment that he had them both within his reach to do so. As they started walking towards Guy, a purple blur interrupted the trio, mildly surprising both Sasuke and Naruto, and knocking the wind out of Sakura.

Hinata's pale arms squeezed around Sakura's neck in worry.

"Ack, Hina-chan, can't, breathe." Sakura wheezed out.

Letting her grip go slack, the shy girl cried "Sakura, what happened? Are you ok? You just collapsed and you looked like you were in pain!" The poor girl was near hysterics.

"Hinata, you didn't stutter once!" Sakura said instead, turning the Hyuuga heiress' face a beat red and completely sidestepping her concern.

"I was j-just w-worried, that's a-all!" she got out, flustered at the attention and of Naruto's close proximity.

"Oh Hina, you don't need to. I'm fine, really! There's no need for you to get all bent out of shape about it."

Hinata set her hip, and locked her gaze on Sakura's (forced) relaxed form.

"But we're friends, right? I s-should worry about you. It's what friends do!"

Sakura stared and then grinned.."Yea! We are friends. Thanks for worrying, Hinata."

Said girl gave a quick nod and a look that said, 'fine, but don't every do it again'.

Sakura quickly grabbed her iPod off the wall, and the two girls made their way to the locker room, leaving Naruto and Sasuke to go to theirs to change.

"What the hell are you grinning for? You look like an idiot." Sasuke said as he made his way to his locker. Naruto's face softened as he followed his friend's lead.

"Sakura finally has a friend that's a girl. She needs that, you know?"

"No, dobe, I don't know." Sasuke snapped back. "I don't know because I'm not a chick. So why don't you call me when your not on your period, and we can hang out like dudes again, k?"

"Geez, teme, what the hell is your problem?" Naruto asked, his mood dampened by his friend's sudden attitude.

Sasuke slammed his locker door shut, rounding on his blonde friend and making his stop short. "You want to know what my problem is?" The Uchiha seethed, creating a palpable tension among the boys in the locker room. "Why don't we start with Sakura fucking _collapsing _out there, for no reason! And then, she supposedly explains things to you, but your not even gonna _mention _what she told you? What the hell happened to her back there?"

Naruto's face darkened dangerously. "Why should I tell you ANYTHING that has to do with Sakura-chan. She's none of your business, Teme." he bit out.

"In fact," he continued angrily, "you've never given a flying _fuck _about Sakura, not when we were little, and not now. You don't _deserve _to be concerned about her well being, you selfish prick. So. Step. Off."

The normally chipper boy's tone chilled the air and caused the assembled boys who heard it to suddenly speed their dressing, and get the hell out of there.

Sasuke, however, chuckled darkly. "You know Naruto, if I didn't know any better, I would say that your so protective of her because your really in love with her."

Naruto glared. "Drop it, Uchiha."

Sasuke's smirk became wicked. "That's it, isn't it? You love her!" he laughed, it ringing in the air like smog, with no actual humor in it.

"You fucking love her!"

With barely restrained rage, Naruto turned and stormed out of the locker room, banging the door and startling a waiting Sakura and Hinata. In his rage, he didn't even see them as he made a hasty escape, or risk fighting his other best friend.

**Well, there you go. Sasukes not very nice, is he? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one, dear readers of mine. I really don't like the heavy tone of this chapter, when I know that there are lighter chapters to come, but with Naruto a giant pressure cooker of emotion, I didn't see how I could avoid it without cheapening just how much he feels for his Sakura-chan. Keep the reviews coming, and if there are any suggestions, don't hesitate. Also, music runs my imagination, so if there are any good songs that I could incorporate in here, let me know. I love good music!**

**Until next!**

**-Kurohime1024**


	5. Confession? I think not

**Sasuke: You know, I don't think I'm that bad of a guy. Why do you all enjoy writing me as an asshole in your stories?**

**Me: *Shows flashbacks* Sasuke betraying his friends and village for power, Sasuke running away to Orochimaru, Sasuke trying to kill Naruto by the Valley of the End, Sasuke trying to kill Naruto at Orochimaru's base 3 years later, Sasuke trying to kill S-**

**Sasuke: Ok, Ok, I get it. I'm an asshole..."supposedly"**

**Me: Sasuke leading to Deidara's death, Sasuke killing Itachi,-**

**Sasuke: OK! Shut up already. So what, I like to kill people. Big deal.**

**Me: O.O**

**Sasuke: *Smirks* Yea, quiet not, aren't you?**

***Itachi appears***

**Itachi: Foolish little brother, stop picking on kurohime1024. It's not nice.**

**Sasuke: But-**

**Itachi: *Tsukuyomi!***

**Me: O.O**

**Itachi: Sorry about him. Kurohime1024 does not own Naruto, and this story is written purely for enjoyment. Now, I'll just get rid of this...**

***Drags Sasuke away.***

**Me: O.O ...I guess, read on?**

* * *

_Sasuke's smirk became wicked. "That's it, isn't it? You love her!" he laughed, it ringing in the air like smog, with no actual humor in it._

_"You fucking love her!"_

_With barely restrained rage, Naruto turned and stormed out of the locker room, banging the door and startling a waiting Sakura and Hinata. In his rage, he didn't even see them as he made a hasty escape, or risk fighting his other best friend._

* * *

"What the-" Sakura began, but the words died on her lips as she let Naruto pass by unhindered.

'Just let him go. He'll calm down eventually.' was her thought as she nudged Hinata towards the door. Sakura furrowed her brow in worry and confusion. 'What could of happened to him?'

All throughout her next class, Science with Orochimaru-sensei, Sakura's mind spun with worry for Naruto. He never looked like that, not since they were kids and Sakura had run to him in tears.

**Flashback~**

"Sakura-chan! What's wrong?" a seven year old Naruto asked his one and only friend, who's eyes were puffy and red.

"N-Naruto," the little six year old said through tears. "Am I ugly?"

The blond boy was speechless. Where had that come from? Anger overtook him, and he grasped Sakura's shoulders, forcing her to face him.

"Who told you you're ugly, Sakura-chan? Tell me what happened."

Sakura sniffled. "Well, you know that I kind of like Sasuke, right? Well, um, I went and told him today."

Naruto waited until Sakura continued, her tiny voice watery. "He said that no, he didn't like me back and I wasn't even pretty, and no one would ever like me because I have a big forehead and weird pink hair. He said I would always be alone."

After a beat, Sakura peeked up through her bangs to see utter rage on her friend's face, to unlike his usual sunny smile. She squeaked and backed up, thinking he was mad at her for crying, but he didn't follow her.

"Sakura-chan," he said finally, making her flinch. "My dad told me something once. He said there were different ways to tell a girl how she looked, and that they mean different things." Sakura waited, her jade eyes watching as Naruto looked at her, his eyes hard with an emotion she couldn't identify.

"Sakura-chan," he began. "Your not cute."

Sakura felt crushed.

"Your not even pretty."

Sakura's throat closed and she felt like she'd been punched in the gut.

"Sakura-chan," Naruto's voice was tender as he stepped forward to gently wipe the tears from her face. "Your the most beautiful girl I've ever met."

Sakura breathed in sharply in surprise. 'She was beautiful?'

After Sakura's tears dried, Naruto said he had to go somewhere, and when Sakura saw him hours later, he was scratched and had a blooming black eye.

Coincidentally, young Sasuke had similar scratches and a fattening, split lip.

Neither wanted to talk about it.

**End Flashback~**

Sakura's mind clicked. 'Sasuke! Of course!' He'd always been the only one who really knew how to push Naruto's buttons to the breaking point...and beyond.

She resolved to find the sullen boy during lunch, which was next.

After what felt like forever, the bell rang, signalling the start of lunch period, and Sakura's Sasuke hunt. 'Ok, if I were Sasuke, where would I be?' She quickly gathered her things and headed to the cafeteria.

She entered the noisy room, scanning for Sasuke's signature chicken butt hair. She found him in the lunch line, looking at the food suspiciously, before choosing only an apple.

**Sasuke POV~**

'My god, what is it these people are trying to feed me? Even the dobe's stash of ramen looks appetizing next to this gruel.'

I shrug slightly and grab an apple. They can't possibly screw up an apple...right?

Hmm, speaking of Naruto, where is he? He'd normally be here demanding that the school board hire Ichiraku to serve them. He couldn't possibly still be mad, could he? It's not like it's not completely obvious that he likes her or anything. He's been in love with Sakura since we were kids! Not that I can blame him, I mean, she really grew into that forehead-wait, what am I saying? She's totally annoying! I mean, yea, her laugh is cute, and her big green eyes are downright gorgeous, but-

I suddenly become aware of someone touching me. WHO THE FUCK IS TOUCHING ME? Damned Fangirls!

I look down and am pinned in place by fierce green eyes. How does she do that?

"Ne, Sasuke, can I talk to you? You know, somewhere private?" Sakura asked, looking up at me.

Why is my heart speeding up all of a sudden? Stop it! Bad heart!

"Hn." I respond, ever the cool guy.

So she leads me out of the cafeteria, the doors swinging shut behind us, down this mostly never used hallway. I take a bite of my apple, already expecting the words she will say. Because today will be the day that Sakura Haruno, the beautiful mystery of the senior class, will confess her love for me. Not as some stupid little girl, but as a lovely young woman. Who knows, I might say yes when she asks me on a date.

"So Sakura," I start, but she cuts me off.

"What did you do to Naruto?"

The apple tastes like sand in my mouth, and I struggle to swallow the tasteless mush down. She wants to talk about _Naruto? _

"What are you talking about, Sakura?" I ask, because, when you get caught, deny, deny deny!

She narrowed her eyes at me, as if smelling the lies on me. Crap.

"Don't give me that bullshit, Sasuke. Your the only one who brings out that much anger in him. So, I'm going to ask you again. What did you do to my best friend?"

Gah! What is with her? She's glaring at me like I'm a murderer in an interrogation! Wait, she's trying to glare me down...Me? Sasuke Uchiha? I think not.

I unleash my sharpest Uchiha approved Death-Glare, but instead of backing down, her scowl only deepens.

We stood glaring in tense silence for about 5 minutes before a voice broke our trance.

"Hey Pinky, if you stare any harder, un, your eyes will pop out."

I look over to see one of my brother's friends standing there with this grin on his face, as if he's expecting some-

"My name's not Pinky, Goddamnit!" Sakura exploded at the blonde, whose grin only widened.

"Not what Kisame said, un."

Sakura scowled dangerously.

"You tell Kisame that if he keeps telling people that, he's a dead man...fish? No, man, that sounds better. He's a dead man! He'll be swimmin with the fishes!"

The blonde's face contorted as she attempted to look threatening to his much taller self. She was just too cute!

Sakura must of realized that he was laughing at her, because she puffed in embarrassment. Her face turned pink, and she pouted, making it worse. The guy laughed aloud.

After a bit, he calmed, and Sakura frowned. "Oh, come on," he said, "your funny. Admit it."

Sakura rolled her eyes, but a grin split her lips. She chuckled. "Ok blondie, I give." she said with a defeated sigh.

The blonde haired guy looked at her with a smile. "Haha, yes, I win! But call me blondie again, and I'll kill you. The name's Deidara, un."

"Deidaraun? That's a pretty weird name, but alright." She said with an evil smirk.

Who was this girl in front of me? The Sakura I knew was almost like a second Hinata! She'd never evilly grin at anyone, let along bait an Akatsuki member.

"No, not Deidaraun, Deidara, un."

"That's what I said, sweety. Deidaraun."

He facepalmed. "No, un! Deidara...un."

Sakura laughed at the fuming man. "Ok, ok, Deidara. Hey," she said, sudden realization dawning on her. "Arn't you the guy who blows things up?"

The artist practically beamed with pride. "Yup! Art's a blast, un!"

"That's awesome!" she gushed.

I scowl. Wern't we supposed to be having a serious conversation?

"Sakura-" I say, but get cut off yet again by the blonde, very feminine, might I add, guy next to me.

"That's right, Blossom, un, I came looking for you for a reason."

Sakura's face flushed a the nickname, and I ground my teeth together.

Deidara continued. "Kisame told me to find you and tell you that he found a sulky blonde guy sitting in a tree out by the west wing, and to ask you if he belonged to you."

Sakura's face lit up.

I frown.

"Is he still there?" she asked, clear excitement in her voice.

He scratched his head. "Yea, un, I think so."

Sakura gave the artist a quick hug before dashing down the hall, calling her thanks over her shoulder.

When she was out of sight, Deidara turned to me.

"Hey, un. I think she forgot about you."

I glare hard at nothing.

"Yea, I know."

**Aaaannnnd, End chapter 5.**

**So, what do you think? A little fluffy flashback, just for you. Plus a little glimpse of inner Sasuke. Now, I know some of you are thinking "What? Sasuke's not like that! He's too uber cool for his thoughts to be so ordinary!" Well, to you all, I say...Too bad. I like him this way. And the exploding cherry on top of this chapter's ice cream cone, Deidara, cuz I luffles him, cuz, I mean, lets face it people. For a crazy psycho terrorist Akatuski killer, he's pretty damn adorable.**

**Anyway, thanks for reading! Reviews...I live for them. **


	6. Finger painting is for n00bs

**OMG, I'm soooo sorry! I know when I started, there were some people who were all "I love that your consistent with your updates"**

**Me: *Havn't updated in days***

**Readers: *Grabs torches and pitchforks***

**Me: I'm sorry! Don't chase me out of the village! I didn't mean it!**

**Sasuke: *Leads angry mob* Haha, yes, my minions, attack Kurohime1024! Mwahaha!**

**Me: Nooooo! *Wakes up* Oh, phew, it was just a dream.**

**Sasuke: Or was it?**

**Me: O.O**

**Me: For real, tho. *Pushes Sasuke out window* Some things came up, and I was afraid of disappointing the readers who had gotten used to my daily updates. And as always, I do not own the world of Naruto. This is purely for entertainment purposes.**

_Deidara continued. "Kisame told me to find you and tell you that he found a sulky blonde guy sitting in a tree out by the west wing, and to ask you if he belonged to you."_

_Sakura's face lit up._

_I frown._

_"Is he still there?" she asked, clear excitement in her voice._

_He scratched his head. "Yea, un, I think so."_

_Sakura gave the artist a quick hug before dashing down the hall, calling her thanks over her shoudler._

_When she was out of sight, Deidara turned to me._

_"Hey, un. I think she forgot about you."_

_I glare hard at nothing._

_"Yea, I know."_

**Normal POV:**

Nothing but a pink blur could be seen as Sakura raced down the hall toward the exit doors in the west wing. She passed a few startled students, but barely saw them, her mind completly focused on finding Naruto.

'Have to find him. Have to find him.' She mentally chanted in time to her footfalls, before she slammed into the exit door and out into the slightly chilled spring air.

She spied a patch of sunshine yellow hair, and bolted for it, memories racing through her mind.

**Flashback Montage: **

"Hi, I'm Naruto Uzumaki. Don't cry, I'll be your friend."

"R-really?"

"Believe it!"

"Child, run away! That little blonde demon killed his parents!"

Sakura clung to Naruto's little arm, while he looked down in shame.

"Shut up, old lady! What do you know! Naruto's my best friend!"

"Sakura's got a big forehead! Sakura's got a big forehead!" the kids chanted.

"Shut up! Sakura-chan's beautiful!"

**End Montage:**

She slammed into Naruto with the force of a speeding train, knocking them both to the ground. She buried her face in his chest while he automatically wrapped his arms around her middle.

"Sakura? What's wrong? Are you ok?" Naruto asked frantically, as he righted her into a sitting position.

She puffed out her cheeks.

"Am I ok? You idiot, that's my line!" she grouched.

Naruto smiled fondly at his best friend, ready to explain, when a throat clearing stopped him. He looked sheepishly up at his red haired, peeved, glaring-

"Are you sure your not a couple? Cuz if you start to make out, I'm leaving." Gaara said with annoyance lacing his stern features.

"Hi, Gaara." Sakura said with a smile, which confused the boy.

"Who are you, alien creature, and where is Sakura?"

"Oh, hardy har. Gaara, your a riot."

When he didn't respond, Naruto stood and, offering a hand to Sakura, he said, "Gaara, havn't you heard? Pod people have invaded and they took over Sakura-chan's body."

Gaara's eyes widened in shock, so Sakura smacked Naruto and explained.

"I'm not a pod person." She began.

"Sounds like something a pod person would say." Naruto huffed, just to be smacked again, into silence.

"_Not _a pod person. I'm just trying something new, that's all. It's my senior year! I want to live it, instead of just watching it go by."

Gaara looked at her with a placid expression, then gave a very slight smile.

"Good luck, Sakura. I know how hard it is to change people's perceptions of you, and I know your going to need it." With that, he wandered away from the pair and off into the distance.

Sakura lifted an eyebrow, and then shrugged. "Well, alrighty they."

Soon after that, the bell rang and Naruto left, promising to see her later so they could walk home together.

The rest of the day passed rather incidentlessly.

In art, with Anko-sensei, she called them all maggots, and Deidara started a loud argument of whether art was instant or everlasting , that included the entire class.

And the entire class included Sakura, who Deidara insisted on making faces at and all around bothering.

Finally though, Sakura got fed up with it.

Anko watched with mild interest as her most quiet student stood up and gently picked up a large pot of pink paint.

"Ne, Dei-chan." She said, causing Deidara's head to snap up at her sultry tone.

*SPLASH*

"Gah! What the fuck, Pinky, un!"

Sakura gave a Cheshire grin. "Sorry blondie. I thought that, since you kept calling me Pinky, that you were jealous of my hair. Now you look like me! But don't worry, pink is a _great _color on you."

Deidara glared, oozing murderous intent. Then, his face cleared as, quick as a clay bird exploding, he doused Sakura in a bright canary yellow.

He grinned cheekily. "Sorry Pinky, but now you look like me. Oh, don't worry. Yellow looks _great _on you."

Soon after, paint pots were flying, sending students scurrying for cover. Purple splatter barely missed as Deidara dived behind a desk. He launched lime green at his adversary, streaking her face and shirt.

Both he and Sakura grabbed red pots, and flung them at each other, his coating her arm and hers catching him in the middle of the chest. A blue streak dyed Deidara's fringe, and orange smeared Sakura's back. All was chaos.

Then all was still, as the two realized that they had thrown all the paint the art room had to offer.

Slowly, the class emerged from their hiding places.

"We're dead." Sakura said as she waited for Anko to issue their death sentences.

"So dead, un."

The purple haired teacher famous for her temper slowly made her way towards the pair, who were now trying to hide behind each other.

"That's not gonna work, your too big. Let me hide behind _you._"

"No way, un! I'd rather she eat you first, so it gives me time to escape." He patted her shoulder. "You will be missed."

Anko stopped in front of them, making them both flinch backwards, their backs hitting the wall. Anko chuckled.

"You two look ridiculous."

'Huh?'

She rolled her eyes. "Clean this mess up before class ends, and I'll let you go. You gave me a laugh, so I'm in a good mood." She said before sitting behind her desk to silently observe them.

And so the pair cleaned, at one point Sakura had to balance on Deidara's back to scrub at a stubborn spot of sky blue on the ceiling.

The bell rang as Sakura tossed the last rag into the trash, and she whooped in victory. She caught Deidara by the arm.

"If we do this walk of shame, we do it together. We both have Jiraya, anyway."

"Alright, un. We're really gonna do this?"

"Heck yea!"

The artist chuckled. "If only we had some theme music."

Sakura grinned.

(ACDC, back in black)

'Dun. Dunna nu. Dunna nu.

_Back in black_

_I hit the sack _

_I've been too long I'm glad to be back_

The two emerged like victorious soldiers from a warzone.

_I got nine lives _

_Cat's eyes_

The sea of students parted before them, and they left multi-hued footprints in their wake.

_Usin' every one of them and running wild_

_'Cause I'm back Yes, _

_I'm back Well,_

_I'm back Yes, _

_I'm back Well, I'm back, back_

_(Well) I'm back in black_

_Yes, I'm back in black_

"Why are we walking in slow motion, un?"

"Just go with it."

Finally, long after the bell rang, the painted pair arrived at Jiraya's door.

They opened it.

"-and to properly use a conjunt-Holy Toad King! What in the name of Icha Icha Paradise happened to you two?!"

Sakura turned off her ipod, silencing ACDC and adding to the awkward silence.

"Uh..."

"Ummm..."

Sakura snapped her fingers. "I got it!"

Jiraya sweatdropped, but humored her obviously made up story anyway.

"Clearly, Jiraya-sensei, we were ambushed by the paint smearing super models roaming the city."

Deidara gave her a funny look, but continued her story.

"Ah, yes, yes un, of course. The super models, un. Crazy bunch of women, un. They just go around smearing paint on people, un. The savages."

"Un." Sakura finished.

Jiraya frowned.

"Nice try, you two. But I know for a fact that PAINT, the traveling group of super model graffiti artist, don't come into town until next month." He sighed wistfully, before focusing once again on the issue at hand.

"Go wash up, the both of you. Sakura, your dripping periwinkle on my floor."

**There you go guys. The first in the pair of chapters concerning Sakura and Deidara's epic paint war of epicness. Please be kind to me, I really didn't want to split it up, but that's just kind of how it ended up. How you like that, Deidara with pink hair. **

**Deidara: That's not even funny to think about! *shudders***

**Sakura: Why? What's wrong with pink hair?**

**Deidara: *backs away slowly* N-nothing. *flies away on giant bird***

**Sakura: GET BACK HERE!**

**Me: O.O**

**Review please! **


	7. Don't forget the towels

**Hey everyone! **_**Finger painting is for n00bs pt 2 **_**is up. I couldn't make you all wait too long for it, I know the last chapter was short n all. Please enjoy the after effects of having a paint war in the middle of class.**

**Deidara: But, I was making art, un!**

**Me: No you weren't. YOUR art explodes.**

**Deidara: ... touche.**

**Me: *eyeroll* You're a dork.**

**Sasori: I agree. A dorky brat.**

**Me: SASORI! *Glomps***

**Sasori: *Twitch* get off me.**

**Me: Dun wanna.**

**Sasori: *Explodes* I DON'T LIKE TO BE TOUCHED!**

**Deidara: Lol, Sasori-no-Danna, you're art now.**

**Sasori: OMO**

**Me: *Chuckles while making a stealthy retreat* Ok, then. I don't own Naruto, and this fanfic is for entertainment purposes only.**

**Enjoy!**

**Oh, and watch for Hidan's mouth. He's in this chapter, so if you don't like him and his foul language...well, there's not much I can do. You've been warned.**

* * *

"_Go wash up, the both of you. Sakura, your dripping periwinkle on my floor."_

* * *

Sakura saluted to the white-haired man and grasped Deidara's hand before backpedaling out of the room.

"Ne, Dei-chan, wanna skip with me?" Sakura asked childishly.

"Um...no, un."

Sakura pouted. "But Dei-chaaaannn!"

"No, un."

"But-"

"No way, un. If one of the guys saw me, I'd never live it down."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Fine." she pouted.

"You know, un," Deidara said with a devilish smirk, "If your just going to wave your tongue around, you might as well use it."

Sakura blushed.

"S-shut up!" she stammered, earning a chuckle from the blonde man beside her.

Unknown to them both, however, two pairs of eyes watched them curiously as they both entered the boy's bathroom.

Hidan glared at Kisame in annoyance. "What the fuck, fishface? Why are you hiding in my fucking hiding spot?"

The blue man straightened from his crouched position. Truthfully, he wasn't sure. But after seeing the easy way Deidara, the guy who doesn't like to be touched by strangers, let Sakura hold his hand, Kisame Hoshigake was quite curious.

*Smack*

"Hey fucktard, I asked you a goddamned question. Why. In the fuck. Are you hiding. In my mother fucking hiding spot!"

"God Hidan, don't you ever shut up? I'm spying, obviously." Kisame gave the Jashinist a look that said 'What are you, friggin' stupid?"

Hidan quirked a silvered eyebrow.

"Spying? On who, blondie and that pink bitch?"

"Obviously, who else would I be fucking spying on? Just shut up, or they'll hear us."

The two tall men -attempted to- stealthy make their way towards the closed bathroom door.

**Inside: **

"Come on, Dei, we'll have to dunk our heads under the sink to get all the paint out."

Deidara gave a grunt and turned both faucets, trying to get an even, warm temperature. He reached up to undo his ponytail.

"What's with the nickname, un? You only met me, what, earlier today? It's strange, un."

Sakura watched as Deidara's corn colored tresses fell down his back. She frowned.

"So? We had a paint war in the middle of art class. That makes us friends for life now." she said matter of factly.

Deidara's lips twitched. 'Man, this chick is wierd.' he thought as he leaned forward to let the water run over his paint splattered head.

"Besides," she said softly, startling the artist as she came forward and began to wash out the paint. "If I were to die tomorrow, I'd want us to be friends."

'If she were to die tomorrow?' he thought, surprised to find this thought depressing him. He didn't even know this chick! He wasn't sure why, but the thought of Sakura going away forever made his insides squirm uneasily, and he didn't like it.

"Hey Sakura, un." he said into the heavy silence, gaining the girl's attention.

"Why did Suzie fall off the swing, un?"

Sakura thought, but came up empty.

"I dunno, why?"

"Because, un, she doesn't have any arms."

Sakura chuckled at the randomness that caught her off guard.

After a bit, Deidara smirked.

"Knock, Knock, un."

"Who's there?"

"Not Suzie, un."

Sakura laughed out loud. "Deidara Iwa, that's so awful! I love it."

He chuckled, pleased that he could make her laugh.

"Alright, un, I think I'm clean enough. Now it's your turn. Bend over and assume the position, un."

She smacked him lightly before also ducking her head under the warm stream.

**Outside: **

"- bend over and assume the position, un." came Deidara's voice through the door. Kisame's brow furrowed with an emotion he didn't immediately recognize. When he did, he found that it was anger.

Hidan grinned beside the sharkman, oblivious to his inner turmoil. "So blondie's not gay? I thought for sure the fucking artsy fairy liked cock." he half-whispered to his blue companion.

Kisame growled at the Jashinist to shut up, as voices began to speak again.

There was a girlish intake of breath.

"Damnit, Deidara," Sakura reprimanded. "I'm all wet!"

"I thought it would be warmer, sorry." came the blonde's reply.

"Fuck." the pinkette cursed. "I can't go to class like this."

"I did get it everywhere, didn't I un?"

Images of what was going on behind the door flitted through Kisame's mind, making him blush and staining his face purple. Finally he'd had enough, and standing, he cleared his throat and walked into the bathroom.

"Who cares, un? It's last class, I don't think anyone's going to care much. Oh, hey Kisame, un. Didn't you have a meeting to go to or something?"

The scene that greeted Kisame when he entered wasn't at all what he'd imagined.

Both Deidara and Sakura's hair was sopping wet, dripping into puddles on the gray tiled floor. However, where Deidara was mostly dry, but for his long dripping tresses, Sakura's head and whole front were soaked through, and her shirt clung to her slight form.

"Uh, Sakura, your-" Kisame struggled to form the words, pointing at her dripping self.

Deidara snickered as Sakura's face burned in embarrassment. Why hadn't either of them thought to bring towels? The pinkette shivered in the suddenly clammy air.

Kisame saw this and frowned.

"You cold, pinky?"

"N-no." she said with a slight chattering of her teeth.

The blue man sighed and began taking off his shirt.

"Kisame, what are you doing!" Sakura exclaimed, but was silenced when the overly large shirt flopped onto her face.

"You can wear that." Kisame said, not looking at her.

Sakura blushed, but knew that fighting him would only embarrass him further. Without a word, she pushed both boys out of the restroom, closing the door behind them.

Now alone, she peeled off her own soaked garment, shivering again in the air-conditioned atmosphere.

She looked at the fabric in her hands. It was just a normal black t-shirt, blank but for the three little red clouds at the bottom right corner.

Sakura shrugged on the shirt, immediately realizing that it was about ten times to big on her. After a minute, she decided she didn't care. It was still slightly warm from Kisame's body heat, and warm besides.

She peeked her head out of the bathroom to deadpan at the sight before her.

Kisame and a guy with white hair who was *suspiciously* also shirtless, were flexing for a group of office aids who happened to be walking by.

The pink haired girl looked to Deidara for an explanation, but he just shrugged.

"It's not very often he gets people to admire him. Let him have it, un."

Sakura smiled, before realizing that they had missed the majority of class. Before turning to go, she nudged Kisame from his erm, show. He turned and grinned down at her.

"Hey shrimp, you don't look half bad in my clothes."

Sakura smirked.

"Psh, I could make anything look good, even your stuff, Nemo. But are you sure you can just give your clothes away like that? I mean, they do have your, uh, clouds on it, afterall."

Kisame growled. "My name's not Nemo, goddamnit! And yea, I don't care. It's not like your not going to give it back, because if you dont, I can always hunt you down for it." at that, he grinned, imagining the chase.

Sakura giggled. "Don't worry, I'll give it back...eventually. It's really soft! So what, you're just going to walk around shirtless?"

Now it was the blue man's turn to smirk. "What's the matter, pinky? -he flexed- is my sexyness _distracting _you?" he asked with an eyebrow wiggle.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "You wish. Anyway, I gotta go, Jiraya's going to have kittens if we miss much more of his class."

"Alright, later shrimp!"

"Later Kisame. Thanks again!" she called before scampering after Deidara, who had left without her.

Yep. Completly uneventful.

In the end, both Sakura and Deidara got writing assignments for missing so much class time, and quote "cannoodling" during school hours.

**Meanwhile, at Kisame's Akatsuki meeting:**

Pein facepalmed. "Kisame, where the hell is your shirt?"

The sharkman looked his leader directly in the eye, and with all seriousness confessed, "A pink little elf stole it, Leader-sama."

O:_:O

**And, that's it for this chapter. I hoped you liked it, I had fun writing it. I had to have some Kisame action in there, because, if it were up to me, every story that he's ever in, he would get the girl. Just cuz. **

**Readers: But hey, there's a scene kind of like this in _Akatsuki no Hime_! What the hell, you lazy author, just recycling scenarios! Ya bum!**

**Me: But no! I have an explanation!**

**Readers: It better be good. Don't make me get out the torches again...**

**Me: No! Ok, look. To anyone who read_ Akatsuki no Hime_, and saw the similar Deidara scenario, and are either confused and or mad at my laziness, I want to tell you that, I've decided that I want to make Deidara have a scene like that in every story that he's in.**

**Deidara: But why me? What did I ever do to you, un!  
**

**Me: You sat on Gaara like he was your personal sofa, that's what. So in every story in which I butcher the Akatsuki's scary reputation and turn them into cuddly fluffermuffins, Deidara will have a scene like that.**

**Pein: Did you just call my organization members cuddly **_**Fluffermuffins? **_

**Me: Yep! And it's MY author's note, so there's nothing you can do about it.**

**Pein: I am not happy about this.**

**Me: And I'm happy that you are unhappy about this.**

**Review and get imaginary cookies!**


	8. Tag! You're it!

**Hello again. In case you all are wondering, I started a new story, **_**Darkside Zodiac, **_**which makes me laugh every time I write a chapter. If your interested, go and check it out.**

**Orochimaru: *Googly eyes* We'll be waiting.**

**Me: Gah! When did you get here?**

**Orochimaru: Me? Why, I just arrived, having just come from Chucky Cheese's.**

**Me: 'I know I'm going to regret asking, but' why where you there, Oro-pedo-san?**

**Orochimaru: *Narrows eyes* You just thought something perverted about me, didn't you? If you must know, I was attending Kabuto-kun's birthday party.**

**Me: ... and Kabuto had his party at Chucky Cheese's, where a kid can be a kid?**

**Orochimaru: Yes. **

**Me: ...and you don't think that that is strange? Even a little?**

**Orochimaru: No.**

**Me: *sigh* of course not. To the point, this fanfiction is for entertainment only, and I do not own Naruto, or anything else for that matter. So enjoy the next chapter of **_**60 Days and Counting.**_

**Orochimaru: Yesss. Enjoy it.**

**Me: *sigh***

_"Later Kisame. Thanks again!" she called before scampering after Deidara, who had left without her._

_Yep. Completely uneventful._

_In the end, both Sakura and Deidara got writing assignments for missing so much class time, and quote "canoodling" during school hours._

_Meanwhile, at Kisame's Akatsuki meeting:_

_Pein facepalmed. "Kisame, where the hell is your shirt?"_

_The sharkman looked his leader directly in the eye, and with all seriousness confessed, "A pink little elf stole it, Leader-sama."_

_O:_:O_

* * *

"Sssss, sssss ss s ssssss. Ssssss, ss." A pink haired girl whispered to the scaly reptile in the tank. The science class's pet eyed her with blank, uninterested eyes.

"Uh, Sakura-chan. What are you doing?"

"I'm speaking Parseltongue, duh."

Naruto let his head fall to the desk surface in exasperation. It was a few days after the famous paint war between Sakura and Deidara, that would go down in history as the most awesome day ever, and the pair were currently sitting in a rare free period located in Orochimaru-sensei's classroom.

"We're not in Hogwarts, Sakura-chan." came the blond's muffled voice.

Sakura eyed Orochimaru/Voldemort sceptically. "Are you sure about that, muggle?"

Naruto was cut off from replying when the class went deathly quiet.

Sakura turned from her snake friend (she named him Boris), to spy yet another member of the infamous Akatsuki enter the room.

Sakura frowned. 'They really have been popping up a lot lately, haven't they?'

The man who had just entered the room was tall but lean, with long, dark hair and equally dark, serious eyes.

The man who had just entered the room was Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke's older brother.

Said man walked purposefully towards said foolish little brother, who had seated himself as far from Naruto as he possibly could go.

Itachi quirked a slender eyebrow at his brother's immaturity, but let no words of it pass his lips. Instead, he gracefully bent to speak lowly in his brother's ear of other things.

Meanwhile, Sakura sat scribbling furiously on a piece of paper, inspiration for her next adventure blooming in her head.

When the elder Uchiha rose and made to leave, with a nod to a glaring Orochimaru, Sakura scrambled to her feet as well.

"Eh, Itachi-san!" she called to him, stopping him and awakening his curiosity.

'Pink hair, pink hair, why does that sound familiar? Oh well,' he thought, watching the girl approach him, 'she's probably got some sort of love note for me. Be courteous, Itachi. Be nice to the fangirl.'

Sasuke also eyed the pinkette with curiosity, as well as most of the class. A public confession swiftly followed by a public refusal was a rare treat for the gossip hungry teens.

"What is is?" Itachi asked stoically.

The girl held out a folded piece of paper to him. 'Yep, definitely a love note. Oh well.' Itachi thought dismally, barely restraining the urge to roll his eyes at the girl's lack of originality.

"Ne, Itachi-san. Do you think you could give this to Kisame for me? You two are friends, right?"

"...Excuse me?"

Sakura's eyebrows rose at his uncharacteristically surprised tone.

"Kisame? Huge, blue sharkman who may or may not live under a bridge and eat children? He's too weird for me to have just made him up." Sakura said with a frown.

The class tittered at the scene before them, and at Sakura's description of the swim team's star swimmer.

Then it clicked.

"You're Sakura. Sakura Haruno." Itachi said, not really a question, but more to confirm the information.

Sakura grinned. "Yep!" she brought a hand to her chin and eyed the Uchiha. "I see you've heard of me."

Sasuke facepalmed.

Naruto merely sighed at his friend's antics.

Orochimaru glowered. "If you're business is done here, Uchiha-_kun, _then I will have to ask you to leave. And Haruno. SIT."

Sakura jumped a bit at Orochimaru's voice, but gave the note to Itachi anyway, before hurriedly taking her seat.

Itachi sighed but left with the note nonetheless.

* * *

Sakura stretched as she lazily strode down the hallway, an earbud hanging out of her ear as she lost herself in Three Days Grace. The halls were pretty much deserted, as all the student eagerly emptied them in an escape to get home.

'Life starts now, by Three Days Grace'

"_Cuz life starts now." she sang. "You've done all the things that could kill you somehow. And you're so far down. But you will survive it somehow, because life, starts, now._" her voice carried, echoing off of the linoleum tiles and cheap plaster walls. It floated down the halls, around corners, and into the ears of the self-proclaimed genius, Neji Hyuuga.

He and Hinata were walking together, a comfortable blanket of silence between them, when he heard it.

"Did you hear that, Hinata-sama?" he asked his cousin, easily falling into the habit of adding the -sama onto her name, despite the many times she had asked him to drop it.

She cocked her head, and a smile lit her features. "That sounds like Sakura-chan!" she said excitedly.

The pair rounded a corner, and Neji saw a pink haired girl walking slowly, her eyes nearly shut, singing.

_"All this pain, take this life and make it yours. All this hate, take your heart, and let it love again. You will survive this __some_-" she choked off as she noticed the two Hyuuga watching her intently.

Her face heated.

"Well, this is embarrassing." she muttered.

"Sakura-chan, that was great! I didn't know you could sing!" Hinata exclaimed to her friend.

Neji took a sideways glance at his famously shy and reserved cousin with a stuttering problem.

'What is this witchcraft?' he thought as he watched the two girls chat amicably.

"Oh! Sakura-chan, this is my brother, Neji." The Hyuuga girl said with a gesture to the stoic looking boy.

'What? Does she not _know _who I am?' he thought at the girl gave a short bow.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Hyuuga-san." she said formally, but, while he noticed and appreciated the respect, he said-

"Just Neji is fine, Sakura-san. We are in the same grade, and Hyuuga-san was my father besides."

She smiled, startling him, as her somewhat pretty face took on an elfin-like glow. Just then, a bellowing sound ricocheted off the pale walls.

"Where are you Pinky? I'm going to find you!"

**Earlier in the day:**

Itachi returned to his class with a slightly perturbed look on his face. Kisame eyed his friend with curiosity as the dark eyed man flicked a small piece of paper at him.

"What's this?" the blue man asked.

Itachi narrowed his eyes. "I met your girlfriend. The one with the stupid hair." he said sourly.

Kisame laughed aloud, startling Kurenai so much she dropped her chalk.

"Did you now? That explains a lot, actually." he said, taking in Itachi's annoyed face and rigid posture.

"_You _have a girlfriend?" came a disbelieving voice behind him.

"Stuff it, Sasori. What's so damn surprising about that?" Kisame said gruffly.

The red head made a face. "Everything, actually. I would automatically think it was all in your head if Itachi hadn't seen her too."

Itachi glared. "Yes, I've met her. She's annoying, and obviously has poor taste."

Deidara twitched out of his slumped position on his desk, wiping the drool from his face. "What's going on, un?"

"Nothing, brat." Sasori responded. "We're just talking about Kisame's pink girlfriend."

"Who, Sakura?" The blonde bomber said, before grinning madly. "She's not Kisame's girlfriend, un. What are you, retarded?"

Kisame glared. "I was just going to run with it. Why'd you have to ruin it?"

Deidara made a tutting noise. Absently toying with a small lump of clay he seemingly pulled out of thin air, he said, "Kisame, if you did that, Sakura-chan would kick your ass, un."

Sasori eyed his blonde friend. "So you know her too, brat?"

Deidara nodded. "Yep. She's the one who dumped paint all over me a few days ago, un."

"That was her? She must be either very brave or very stupid." Itachi said monotonously.

Kisame grinned. "I'd say a little of both, actually."

Itachi shrugged. "So, what does the note say? She interrupted Orochimaru's class just to give it to me...to give to you."

Deidara made kissing noises. "Oooh, Kisame, what does your lover have to say?"

Kisame shoved the artist out of his chair. "Shut up, man. We're just friends, anyway."

Kisame unfolded the small note, before grinning widely. "Oh, it's on now, Shrimpy."

_ Dear Nemo,_

_You're it._

_Bet you can't catch me!_

"What the heck does that mean?" Sasori said, but stopped when he saw the gleam in Kisame's dark eyes.

The blue man smirked. "Challenge, accepted."

**End flashback.**

Sakura winked.

"Well, sounds like I'd better get going. See ya!"

"I see you Sakura! Get back here!"

"That doesn't sound like a very good idea, Kisa-chan! Sorry!" the giggling girl called back to the blue man charging after her.

She paled and bolted out the door to the outside world. She looked around, spying Naruto's bright yellow head a little too far to be comfortable. Casting around a second glance, she found someone familiar, and quickly ran towards them, just as the door behind her banged open.

"I found you!" Kisame howled, quieting the majority of the courtyard.

"Nuh-uh!"

"Aw, Pinky, no fair! You can't hide behind Itachi!"

"Can too!" she said as she ducked Kisame's blue arm, making sure to keep the Uchiha between them.

"Can not! That's cheating!"

Sakura stuck her tongue out childishly. "You're just mad that Itachi's scary, and you can't just tackle us both."

Itachi twitched. He wasn't scary!

Kisame laughed while grasping for a ducking Sakura, who deftly dodged his sneak attempts.

"He's not that scary." Kisame said lightly.

Itachi frowned. He was a _little _scary.

Sakura made a face. "You lie, fish-face! He's terrifying! *Duck* I once went to Sasuke's house with *Dodge* Naruto when we were little, and Itachi was *Substitution Jutsu* mad about something, and I'm _pretty _sure I saw his angry aura kill birds."

Kisame paused, eyeing the annoyed man between them for the first time.

As both figures stilled, Itachi whipped around and grasped Sakura's wrists. He pushed her in front of him, towards his annoying blue friend. Itachi glared.

"Take her and go. I refuse to be your monkey in the middle any longer."

Kisame nodded, but Sakura frowned. Not noticing the threat to her safety, she spoke.

"Awww, but Ita-chan, you were such a good monkey! The best!"

Itachi stopped, not facing her. He wasn't sure if she was complementing him in her own childish way, or mocking him. He shot a side glare at her, but her face only softened.

"You know, Itachi-san. When I was little, I fell in love with Sasuke's glare before anything else."

-Somewhere in the crowd, Sasuke's head whips around-

Itachi said nothing, but his glare disappeared. He spared her a nod, and then strode away. Kisame looked down at the girl before him with confusion.

"What the hell was that all about?"

She smiled happily. "I was just telling him that Sasuke has glared at me so often that I'm practically immune to it. And that he needs to find a new way to get his point across."

Kisame raised a blue eyebrow. "How the hell do you get that from what _you _said? They're completely different things!"

Sakura smirked. "Don't worry, he got it."

With that, she disappeared from the large man's side, running to tackle Naruto, and laughing madly as he spun her around.

Kisame shook his head. "Women."

**Haha! How you like them apples? I like my apples baked in a pie, myself, but whatever floats your boat, I guess. Anyway, I'd love your feedback for this one, I kind of liked it, and I hope you all did too. **

**As an aside, I want you all to know that I don't plan on having Neji as a love interest or anything of the kind. When I went back, I saw how some of you might of thought that that is what was going on, but, I can assure you, that's not happening. I like him and all, but if anyone, he belongs with Tenten. **

**...or Lee, depending on the situation.**

**He's more of a sideline character in this.**

**Neji: What? This is an outrage! I demand more facetime! Look at this face! Do you see it? It's gorgeous. It deserves more attention in your story.**

**Itachi: ... Bitch, please.**

**Me: Lol. Review and win imaginary 'Good Reader' points! They're not good for anything, but you can say that you have more than anyone else. That's right, compete for something imaginary. Bwahaha-cough-hack.**


	9. Slumber what?

**Listening to Block B right now, totally making me groove all over this piece.**

**Sasuke: ... Excuse me?**

**Me: Hey! You can't steal Itachi's line from the last chapter! He doesn't have many of them, so you can't just take em.**

**Sasuke: I am the avenger. I can take what I want.**

**Me: Except your first kiss back! Heeyyooo!**

**Sasuke: *Tsukuyomi***

**Me: O.O**

**Sasuke: Ah, silence, how I love thee.**

**Itachi: Foolish little brother. Now you must deliver the disclaimer.**

**Sasuke: But nii-saaaaannnn.**

**Itachi: *Poke* No complaining.**

**Sasuke: Fine. *Nudges with foot* Kurohime1024 does not own Naruto, or its characters. There, happy?**

**Itachi: ^w^**

**Sasuke: ...creepy.**

_Sakura smirked. "Don't worry, he got it."_

_With that, she disappeared from the large man's side, running to tackle Naruto, laughing madly as he spun her around._

_Kisame shook his head. "Women."_

Later on that night, Sakura was laying in her bed, staring at the ceiling, when her phone vibrated. She didn't recognize the number, but opened the message anyway.

Hey Sakura, it's Ino.

Hope its ok, got ur # from Naru.

Hina said u wanna hang out w/ us?

Sakura quickly txted back that she did.

That's great! We're my house now.

Wanna hang?

Sakura smiled, her stomach doing somersaults. She'd never been invited to another girl's house before. Her phone buzzed again, before she could reply.

It's the big white one down the street from school.

Black shutters.

My convertis' out front.

Sakura knew the one, and txted back that she would be there in ten. Sakura was only ever that close with Naruto, so the change of pace was both refreshing and terrifying for the petal-haired girl.

She started her car and shuffled through a random playlist on her iPod, looking for good driving music. She smiled when she found one she liked, and hitting play, she shifted into drive and pulled out of her driveway.

'Sum 41, _Hell song' _

_Everybody's got their problems._

_Everybody says the same thing to you_

_It's just a matter of how you solve them, _

_And knowing how to change the things you've been through._

Her car sped along the road, as she took the scenic route to Ino's house. The crisp air blew through the open windows, whipping her pink tresses as she gleefully sand along.

_Part of me, won't agree, _

_Cause I don't know if it's for sure. _

_Suddenly, suddenly _

_I don't feel so insecure. _

_Anymore_

The song ended, and Sakura laughed aloud into the silence at nothing, simply enjoying the feeling of being alive. Shortly after that, she saw Ino's house and slowed. It was indeed, a very large, white house, with black shutters. A half circle driveway hugged a fountain, and held Ino's shiny new, powder blue convertible.

Sakura petted her dash, whispering "It's ok, you're a classic" to her beaten looking Camaro.

She cut the engine just as Ino's front door opened, and the girl herself appeared, smiling widely.

Sakura cautiously exited her car, unsure of what to do next. Her hesitance must have shown on her face, because Ino beckoned.

"Come on Sakura, we don't bite," she said, "much."

Sakura grinned before stepping into the house, where four pairs of eyes watched her curiously.

Sakura laughed nervously, slightly embarrassed as she responded to Ino's earlier comment. "Sorry," she said, "it's just the first time I've ever really been to another girl's house before."

There was a collective gasp before a tall girl with sandy colored pigtails laughed.

"Damn, where have you been? Living under a rock your whole life?"

Sakura blushed, sure the girl was mocking her, before she continued, "I guess that makes you a slumber party virgin too, huh?"

Sakura nodded slightly.

Ino squealed. "That settles it! We're having a sleep over!"

Another girl with her hair in two buns just shook her head sadly at the blonde's excitement. Then she turned to Sakura.

"You're in for it now." She said ominously.

**Oh, I know, I know, this is super short, but I'm hitting kind of a rough patch and I need to stretch out my updates. I'm really sorry about it, but I thought it could be a sort of built up kind of chapter, of sorts. If any of you lovely readers have any ideas for what should happen later, then please, pm or review me. **

**Oh, and an idea came to me via a review I recently received.**

**Sakura's basically a shut in, and has never had her first kiss.**

**Who do you think it should be?**

**Naruto?**

**Sasuke?**

**Kisame?**

**Deidara?**

**Gaara?**

**Itachi?**

**Or Other?**

**Lee: Other? I could be Other! Oh, the sunshine of my youth is upon me!**

**Me: No lee, I highly doubt you will be Sakura's first kiss. Or, any of her kisses, for that matter. Unless it's the kind of situation like Sasuke and Naruto's first kiss.**

**Sasuke: Hey! I thought you learned your lesson from the introduction!**

**Naruto: Yea, shut up! That was ONE TIME! ONE TIME!**

**Me: Lol, one time is all it takes for love to bloom.**

***Tsukuyomi***

***Giant Rasengan* **

**Me: O.O**


	10. Hotties with Bodies

**Oh, my youthful readers, I must apologize for the last chapter. I was almost afraid to open my email, afraid to see all the flames regarding my last chapter. ... In truth, I don't know what I was thinking. Next time, if I don't have anything to write, I just won't write at all. K?**

**Sasuke: Good. The last chapter sucked.**

**Sakura: *smacks Sasuke* I wouldn't say it sucked, but just that it was short, with no real content. **

**Me: *sniffles* Oh, Sakura, I'm sorry. This one will be better, I promise.**

**Sasuke: *scoffs* Yea, right. I'm sure it's going to-**

***Door slams open, knocking Sasuke out***

**Hidan: Yo, bitch! You gonna write the next chapter, or what?**

**Me: HIDAN! *Glomps***

**Hidan: Oy, get the fuck off me.**

**Sasori: Oh, I see how it is, you just go around glomping anybody, don't you?**

**Me: OMO**

**Sasori: Hmm, I see how it is now. Anyway, I'd hate to keep you all waiting, so I'll just say it. Kurohime1024 does not own Naruto, or anything else because she is a lazy, good for nothing, worse than that brat Deidara. **

**Hidan: Now stop fapping, and read the damned story!**

* * *

_Sakura blushed, sure the girl was mocking her, before she continued, "I guess that makes you a slumber party virgin too, huh?"_

_Sakura nodded slightly._

_Ino squealed. "That settles it! We're having a sleep over!"_

_Another girl with her hair in two buns just shook her head sadly at the blonde's excitement. Then she turned to Sakura._

"_You're in for it now." She said ominously._

* * *

Soon after, Sakura found that she had not been exaggerating.

Sakura hadn't really been sure what 'it' was, until she was dragged through an evening of pizza and part of Disney's _The Little Mermaid, _before Ino complained that Ariel's first dress she wears is hideous. Then she brightened, and forced then all upstairs to perform something called a 'Makeover', on each of them.

The tall girl with the multiple pigtails, who Sakura had learned was called Temari, managed to escape, saying she had to pick up her brothers, but that she would be back.

Hinata blushed but agreed to Ino's plans, and ended up with styled wavy pigtails, and one of Ino's shirts.

The girl with buns, who had introduced herself as Tenten, although mostly tomboyish, allowed (much to Ino's delight) a jewel green halter dress that accentuated her tanned legs.

Then the demonic fashion queen turned her sights on Sakura.

The pinkette spluttered. She didn't want to be made pretty! She liked herself just the way she was, the plain girl she saw in the mirror every day, with the scars on her knees and the overly large forehead she'd had since she was small.

Ino tutted, as if reading her mind.

"It won't hurt, I promise. I wont even do much! Pleeeaassseeeee?" she pleaded, and after a bit, Sakura finally relented.

"Alright, but not too much, ok? This just isn't my thing."

Ino nodded with a grin, fiendishly pouncing on the girl.

After a time filled with much hair pulling, cursing (Sakura), and much, much mulling over of outfits and accessories, Sakura was finished.

Ino stepped back to admire her work, smirking proudly. "Ok, Sakura, you can look now."

Sakura rolled her eyes. Luckily, she got to keep her black jeans, but Ino had given her a shirt, ordering her to change.

"It's still experimental," she had said, "But I think it'll look cute on you."

The shirt was a soft pink, spaghetti strapped affair, with a pastel, ruffled bust. The unruffled bottom half was gathered at a corner, creating a drapery-like effect, with the pink slowly fading to black towards the bottom.

'Experimental? What the- oh hell, whatever.' Sakura thought as she slid the soft fabric over her skin, immediately liking the feel.

Ino clapped her hands. "I was right, you're adorable!" she squealed. "You just _have _to wear that to school tomorrow."

Sakura huffed, but agreed. Then she turned to the mirror.

Sakura studied her face in the reflective surface. True to her word, Ino had kept the amount of creams and powders to a minimum, but Sakura was still suspicious of the results. Her skin seemed smoother, and she could detect a soft grey and green coloring around her eyes, making her eyes appear more defined. Her lips were a soft pink, and shimmered with a thin layer of what tasted like strawberry lip balm.

Through the mirror, Sakura spied Tenten holding Ino's phone up, as if she was taking a-

"No!" Sakura squealed, attempting to shield her face. "No pictures!"

But she was too late. Tenten had snapped it right when Sakura had turned around, a slightly surprised look making her eyes appear wide and innocent.

Sakura froze. "What are you going to do with that, Tenten?" she asked, her voice guarded.

Tenten grinned.

Sakura tackled the brunette, reaching desperately for the phone. However, in the struggle, a tinkling sound came from the device. Both girls froze.

'Message Sent'

"Tenten, what did you do?" Sakura wailed, but the offender was too surprised to speak.

Ino came back into the room with a bag of chips and some cans of soda, only to notice the silence.

"Woa, what's going on in here?" she asked, setting down her items.

Hinata spoke for the silent pair. "Tenten took a picture of Sakura and -I think- sent it to someone.

Ino picked up her phone, then scoffed.

"Not someone. Everyone."

Sakura growled.

"It sent it to all of my contacts." the blonde continued, wincing at Sakura's emotional state.

Tenten sounded sheepish. "I'm really sorry, Sakura. I wasn't really going to send it to anybody, it was a accident."

The pinkette flopped onto a pillow, groaning loudly.

Suddenly, there was a mechanical 'chirp', and Ino said, "I got a message."

_To: Ino Yamanaka_

_Ino! I thought I told you to stop sending me pictures of girls I should ask out. She's cute, but the last one was a disaster!_

_From: Kiba Inuzuka_

Hinata giggled. "I don't think he knows it's you, Sakura." the quiet girl said, making Sakura breathe a sigh of relief.

'Chirp'

_To: Ino Yamanaka_

_Who's she, Ino-chan? She's cute._

_From: Chouji Akimichi_

Ino smiled. "See, Sakura, no need to freak out. Nobody knows it's you."

Sakura frowned. 'That's kind of insulting.'

'Chirp'

_To: Ino Yamanaka_

_I do not want your sexy pictures, Ino._

_From: Sasuke Uchiha_

Sakura quirked an eyebrow. 'Sexy pictures? What exactly has she been sending him?'

Many more 'chirps' followed, each reading about the same. Nobody in their circle of friends could connect the feminine, stunningly cute girl in the picture with the pink haired girl they all saw every day.

Then, from Sakura's bag, came _'Yaay, let's go to Candy Mountain, Charlie!'_

Tenten look at Sakura. "What the hell was that?"

Sakura crawled to her bag and, while digging through it, answered her. "My txt message thing." She found her phone, and flicked it open. Then she smiled.

"Who is it?" Ino asked, ignoring the 17th txt chirp her phone made.

"Naruto." the pinkette answered. "He wants to know why he and everybody else he's with suddenly got a picture of my face txted to them."

"He knew it was you?" Ino asked, only to receive a 'duh' look from Sakura. Then she shrugged.

"We'd know each other anywhere, I guess." then she started typing in letters.

"What are you txting back?" Hinata asked curiously.

Sakura grinned. "I said it's better than putting my face on a milk carton. Save's trees."

The girls laughed, and Ino turned off her phone's sound. A few minutes later, Ino's front door opens, and Temari calls up, "I'm back, bitches!"

"We're up here. Come on, I wanna talk!" Ino called down, and Sakura could hear Temari coming up the stairs. Then she deadpanned. The way Ino said 'talk' made Sakura uneasy. What did girls talk about, anyway?

Temari entered the room, and immediately laid claim to Ino's bed, spreading herself along its length. Ino squeezed next to her and Sakura, Tenten, and Hinata all claimed placed on the floor.

"So." Sakura spoke, embarrassed again. "What exactly do we talk about?" she asked.

"Boys, normally." Ino said, matter-of-factly.

"_I've _got a topic." Temari said, gaining the group's attention. She eyed Sakura. "This has been bugging me since you got here. _How _have you never been to a sleep over before? What the hell did you _do _as a kid? Cuz we've never hung out before."

"Actually," Tenten interrupted, "I'm more impressed that we've never met the real Sakura until recently. After all this time, we all thought you were some quiet, mousey, bookish girl, but you just roll up one day like, "Yea, sorry guys, but I'm actually someone cool"."

The four girls watched Sakura collect her thoughts, then breathe out an answer.

"I'm a pretty shy person-" she started, but Tenten scoffed.

"I heard you started a paint fight in Anko's class last week. Shy my ass."

Sakura pursed her lips, then continued. "_If you don't know me, _I'm a pretty shy person. When my parents died, I had Naruto and his family. Then his parents died, and we just had each other."

The mood had softened as the other girls listened to Sakura's story.

"I'm not like Naruto, though." She said after a bit of silence.

"Naruto is the type of guy who can make anyone his friend. He sees the best in people, and isn't judgmental, or afraid to be judged. Hell, he made Sasuke Uchiha his best friend, and that guy hates everyone! When Gaara was being picked on, and people were afraid of his glares of death, Naruto saw someone who just needed a friend."

Temari twitched at her brother's name, and the memories that came with it, but said nothing.

"Me, on the other hand, well, I was just afraid that if he made all these new friends, and I did something to make them not like me, that he'd choose them over me. Pretty stupid, I know. So much wasted time." the last bit came out more sad sounding than she meant it to, but Sakura was confident that no one could guess exactly _why._

Not liking the solemn air lingering around them, Temari asked "Ok, that explains why we don't know you, but what did you DO as a kid? How did you stay under our radar?"

Sakura smiled brightly. "I told you, I was with Naruto. When he wasn't with his other friends, he would always make time for me. We would make forts, play hide-and-seek, play tricks, and have sleepovers. We did all that stuff, just together."

"You had sleepovers with Naruto?" Tenten asked disbelieving.

Sakura shrugged. "Yea. We still do sometimes."

Ino squealed. "Ah, your so lucky! He's sooo hot!"

Sakura eyed the blonde like she had lobsters crawling out of her ears. "Naruto?" she queried, just to be sure they were still talking about _her _Naruto.

"Yes, Naruto." Temari said, laughing at the pink haired girl's face.

Ino continued, "He's tall, muscled, tan, has glossy, wind-blown hair, he's tall, and his arms are sexy."

Sakura's eyebrow rose. "How can arms be sexy?"

"You said tall twice." Temari added.

Sakura was about to voice just how superficial all those things were, when Hinata's quiet voice stopped her.

The Hyuuga's face was pink, but she interrupted Ino's rant anyway.

"What about his eyes, Ino-chan?"

Ino thought about them, then shrugged, as if to say "What about them?".

However, Sakura's full attention had been captured and she watched Hinata trudge on.

"All those things are great, Ino-chan, but his eyes stop my heart. They are the sparkling blue of the ocean in summertime, and they show his every emotion and thought." she breathed deeply before finishing her thought with, "All the kindness in his heart can be seen in his eyes."

"Woa, Hina, you really like him, don't you?" Ino said teasingly, missing Sakura as she quickly swiped the tears from her eyes.

"Yes, I do." the Hyuuga said steadily.

Tenten grinned. "Ok, ok, you can have Naruto. You know who's _really _hot, though? Itachi Uchiha."

Ino made a kind of gaspy sound followed by a sharp intake of breath. But while Sakura pondered the possibility of this being the blonde's mating call, the other girls apparently understood, as they all nodded.

Temari smirked. "He's something, all right. All Uchihas are ungodly hot, though. I mean, look at Sasuke!"

Ino grinned. "Sasuke is in a class all his own."

Sakura chuckled at that, earning a laser-like glare from the blue-eyed girl.

"What?" she bit out, miffed. "Can you think of anyone more attractive than Sasuke?...besides Itachi, of course. He doesn't count."

After thinking a bit, Sakura said, "Well, Neji's got the same quiet guy attitude Sasuke does, and his looks aren't bad, so he counts. Um, Kiba's cute, plus he's got the whole 'animal lover' think going for him. Oh! Gaara's pretty hot. I used to have a HUGE crush on him in middle school."

Temari made a face. "Ew, that's my little brother you're mentally undressing!"

**(A.N. Admit it, you perverts, you just pictured a partially undressed Gaara. I know you did.)**

Sakura laughed. "What! I thought he was a total babe! He's fanclub worthy, I'd say."

While Temari covered her ears, Tenten stepped in.

"Speaking of redheads with fanclubs, what about Sasori? Soooo dreamy!"

Hinata blushed. "He has nice eyes." she added softly.

"You're all about the eyes, arn'tcha Hina?" Temari said, to which Hinata shrugged.

"They're the windows to the soul!"

Ino popped a chip in her mouth.

"Let's all agree right now that the most dangerous gang in school is also the group of the hottest guys. Yes? All in favor?"

A chorus of "I's" rang out, and Ino nodded, then sighed. "Too bad they all live on their own little island of Hotties with Bodies, with no way to get there."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.

Ino rolled her eyes. "I mean they never talk to anyone other than their own little group. Gah! What I'd give to talk to Itachi face-to-face!"

"You mean oggle, right?" Temari said cheekily. "I doubt you'd actually be able to form words if you were looking right at him."

The two went back and forth while Sakura's mind worked. Then she smirked.

"I could get you to him." Sakura said, gaining Ino and the other girl's undivided attention.

**So? Better? I thought so, but what I think really doesn't matter. It's all on you guys. So review, so I know what I did right, wrong, or just missed completely.**

**As for my poll...well, here are the results so far.**

**Naruto- 1**

**Sasuke- 0...actually, I could say he's -2 right now. Nobody wants him for a love interest, ironically.**

**Kisame-3**

**Deidara-1**

**Gaara-0**

**Itachi-4**

**Or Other-**

** Sasori- 2**

**I got some great feedback from my last batch of reviews, even though the chapter was so short. I love how the hottie Itachi is in the lead, but, the giant fishman that people love to make fun of, is close second.**

**Keep em coming, guys. **


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